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Villain

Play trailer Poster for Villain R Released May 26, 1971 1h 38m Crime Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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67% Tomatometer 12 Reviews 49% Popcornmeter 100+ Ratings
A razor-wielding London thug (Richard Burton) robs a payroll with his gang; his pimp boyfriend (Ian McShane) has the alibi.

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Villain

Critics Reviews

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David Robinson Financial Times Burton's performance [is] cold-eyed and ugly, rejecting sympathy or glamour, admirably conveying the double image of the Capone-style gangster he aspires to be and the common, average-stupid, taciturn braggart he truly is. Sep 2, 2020 Full Review Margaret Hinxman Daily Telegraph (UK) [Villain works] as [an illustration] of the shaming condition of a native industry which, perpetually ailing, has never seemed, quite so close to extinction -- at least as a serious creative force. Jun 2, 2020 Full Review Time Out Staff Time Out A ludicrous exposé of the lower depths of London crime, it tarts up the hoariest old gangster clichés with a bit of homosexuality and a lot of thuggery, and manages to be both brutish and maudlin. Mar 26, 2020 Full Review Eddie Harrison film-authority.com ...bridge between traditional British policiers and the more modern take on criminality featured in, say, The Long Good Friday.... Rated: 4/5 Feb 18, 2021 Full Review Adrian Turner Radio Times Wavering uneasily between horror, black comedy and sentimentality, it's held together by Burton's performance, a brave attempt to escape the straitjacket of being the world's highest-paid movie star. Rated: 3/5 Mar 26, 2020 Full Review James Evans Starburst If you enjoy a good gangster film or just want to luxuriate in an arguably incongruous but never less than hypnotic performance, it comes recommended. Rated: 8/10 Mar 26, 2020 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

View All (20) audience reviews
delysid d its a british gangster film thats up there with get carter and the long good friday Rated 4 out of 5 stars 05/17/20 Full Review Audience Member Hilariously bad 'hard man' movie, stuffed with RADA actors trying on mockney accents. Richard Burton - puffy and red-eyed - is London mobster Vic Dakin. You can tell he's a nasty piece of work because he SHOUTS and wears black and he needs a haircut. He also has a lover - Ian McShane - but we don't want to go there, cos this is 1971. McShane and T.P. McKenna give good performances, in part because they know it's a film, not a tribute to Henry Irving. An unconscious influence on Viz's Big Vern. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 01/27/23 Full Review s r Could've been better, but it was entertaining. Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review Audience Member Strong British gangster film, with the focus on a messy heist. Richard Burton dominates with his very domineering character, although there's a plethora of UK acting talent on show all doing their best to compliment the lead. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 02/06/23 Full Review Audience Member tough British gangster film. not a classic but certainly enough about it to keep viewer interested Rated 3 out of 5 stars 02/10/23 Full Review Audience Member After reading the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen's second volume of its Century series, I had to see who this Vic Dakin character was. 'Villain' was admittedly a bit of a surprise, with Richard Burton playing a sadistic (yet emotionally vulnerable, closeted homosexual) East End crime boss whose manic appetite for violence and chaos precludes him from sitting on his laurels. While not overly memorable, it made for a fun sit-through. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 01/26/23 Full Review Read all reviews
Villain

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Villain

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Movie Info

Synopsis A razor-wielding London thug (Richard Burton) robs a payroll with his gang; his pimp boyfriend (Ian McShane) has the alibi.
Director
Michael Tuchner
Producer
Alan Ladd Jr., Jay Kanter
Production Co
Anglo-EMI
Rating
R
Genre
Crime, Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
May 26, 1971, Limited
Release Date (Streaming)
Feb 25, 2017
Runtime
1h 38m
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